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Huff vs Scoff - What's the difference?

huff | scoff |

As nouns the difference between huff and scoff

is that huff is a heavy breath; a grunt or sigh while scoff is derision; ridicule; a derisive or mocking expression of scorn, contempt, or reproach.

As verbs the difference between huff and scoff

is that huff is to breathe heavily while scoff is to jeer; laugh at with contempt and derision.

As a proper noun Huff

is {{surname}.

huff

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A heavy breath; a grunt or sigh.
  • With a huff , he lifted the box onto the back of the truck.
  • An expression of anger, annoyance, disgust, etc.
  • Freyja left in a huff .
  • (obsolete) A boaster; one swelled with a false sense of value or importance.
  • Lewd, shallow-brained huffs make atheism and contempt of religion the sole badge of wit. — South.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To breathe heavily.
  • The run left him huffing and puffing.
  • To inhale psychoactive inhalants.
  • To say in a huffy manner.
  • (draughts) To remove an opponent's piece as a forfeit for deliberately not taking a piece (often signalled by blowing on it).
  • To enlarge; to swell up.
  • Bread huffs .
  • To bluster or swell with anger, pride, or arrogance; to storm; to take offense.
  • * South
  • This senseless arrogant conceit of theirs made them huff at the doctrine of repentance.
  • To treat with insolence and arrogance; to chide or rebuke rudely; to hector; to bully.
  • * Echard
  • You must not presume to huff us.
    ----

    scoff

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) scof/skof, of Scandinavian origin. Compare (etyl) skaup, Danish skuffelse(noun)/skuffe(verb) and Old High German scoph.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Derision; ridicule; a derisive or mocking expression of scorn, contempt, or reproach.
  • * Shakespeare
  • With scoffs , and scorns, and contumelious taunts.
  • * 1852 , The Dublin University Magazine (page 66)
  • There were sneers, and scoffs , and inuendoes of some; prophecies of failure in a hundred ways
  • An object of scorn, mockery, or derision.
  • * Cowper
  • The scoff of withered age and beardless youth.
    Synonyms
    * derision, ridicule * See also

    Verb

  • To jeer; laugh at with contempt and derision.
  • * Goldsmith
  • Truth from his lips prevailed with double sway, / And fools who came to scoff , remained to pray.
    Synonyms
    * contemn, deride, sneer

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (South Africa) Food.
  • Verb

  • (British) To eat food quickly.
  • (South Africa) To eat.
  • Synonyms
    * (eat quickly) (l), (l) (US)

    See also

    * scuff